A-League, W-League to continue playing through coronavirus shutdown

The rest of the A-League season will be condensed with games played on three-day turnarounds, while all soccer competitions in Australia can continue despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Football Federation Australia says the remainder of the A-League season and this weekend's W-League Grand Final between Melbourne City and Sydney FC will proceed as scheduled but played in empty stadiums.

The governing body says all lower-level soccer leagues in Australia, including under-age competitions, can continue under enhanced hygiene protocols.

In the elite A-League, the six remaining rounds before finals will be compressed into three or four weeks in a bid to finish the season.

Wellington Phoenix will fly to Australia on Tuesday, spend 14 days in isolation, then play out the remainder of the season from a Sydney base.

Melbourne Victory, who return to Australia from New Zealand on Monday, will also have to spend the next two weeks in isolation under government travel orders.

"Those two teams will have more of a challenge," FFA's head of leagues Greg O'Rourke told reporters on Monday. "But for the other nine teams, we're looking to have as many games as we can played with three-day turnarounds and have the season completed much quicker than it normally would have been."

Phoenix and Victory won't be allowed to train during the 14-day isolation period.

O'Rourke said the FFA decided against suspending the A-League.

"We have got 30 matches left, six competition rounds to go, it is our intent to compress the rest of that season," he said.

"We have spoken to the clubs. And we're now speaking to the venues to see whether or not it's possible for us to complete those six rounds in three to four weeks.

"We will also have all our games behind closed doors.

"We think, at this point of time, that is a better solution ... rather than suspend it."

O'Rourke said some Wellington players may opt against travelling to Australia, including ex-Socceroo Luke DeVere whose wife is due to give birth within two weeks.

"It is is a little bit mixed," O'Rourke said of the reaction among Phoenix players, who sit third on the league ladder.

"But the majority of the players would prefer to come here and complete the A-League season."